It is frequently desirable to connect one or more of the conductors in an automotive harness to ground or earth at an intermediate and convenient location along the length of the conductor and to connect a capacitor in series with the ground conductor. Connections of this type are required to suppress interference or noise produced in the electrical system of the vehicle which would interfere with the operation of radios or other communications equipment.
These tap-ground connections to the conductors in the harness can be made by stripping the insulation from the harness conductor, connecting one lead from the capacitor to the harness conductor, and connecting the other capacitor lead to the frame of the vehicle, however, this is a time-consuming task and requires stripping insulation from a portion of a conductor in the automotive harness. There is, therefore, the danger that some damage will be done to the harness when the connections are being made. The present invention is directed to the achievement of a connector which can be installed on a harness conductor without stripping installation therefrom and which can be directly connected to the automotive frame to form the ground connection. The connector moreover contains the required capacitor in a manner such that when the connector is installed on the harness conductor and secured to the frame, the ground connection is established.
A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an electrical connector for connecting a first lead extending from a component to a through conductor and for connecting a second lead extending from a component to a tap conductor. The connector is of the type comprising an insulating housing having a recess extending inwardly from one surface thereof. The recess is dimensioned to receive the component (a capacitor) and first and second terminals. The first terminal has a wire receiving slot for reception of the first component lead and the second terminal has a wire receiving slot for reception of the second component lead. The connector is characterized in that a through conductor terminal is located beside the connector housing and proximate to the first terminal. The through conductor terminal has a wire receiving slot for reception of the through conductor and the through conductor terminal and the first terminal are connected to each other by an integral connecting section which extends through a wall of the connector housing. The second terminal has a tap conductor terminal integral therewith which is of the disconnect type and is dimensioned to receive a complementary disconnect type terminal upon movement of the complementary terminal into the housing recess. A sheet metal cover is provided for the recess and the complementary disconnect type terminal extends from this cover, the complementary terminal being located to mate with the tap conductor terminal when the cover is assembled to the housing in covering relationship to the recess. The sheet metal cover serves as the tap conductor and is bolted or otherwise connected to an earth terminal such as an automotive frame.
In accordance with further embodiments of the invention, the insulating housing has oppositely directed sidewalls and oppositely directed endwalls and the through conductor terminal is located beside one of the sidewalls. The tap conductor terminal which is integral with the second terminal in the housing is a receptacle terminal and the complementary terminal extending from the sheet metal cover is a terminal tab.